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Home , Alberobello, Matera

, the Deep South and Sicily 17 Incredible Days – to

Alberobello

Sleep in the ancient Sassi of and the delightful Trulli cottages of . Stand on the highest active volcano in Europe, feast in Mafia country, see Piazza Armerina’s mosaics and cruise to San Vito Lo Capo… ‘va bene’!

Travelling on our fabulous Italy, the Deep South and Sicily tour in April 2014 opened my eyes to the distinct contrast between the northern and southern & the wonderful intensity of the south. The south and Sicily retain a rawness that is lacking in the wealthier, more commercialised north of Italy. Rightly or wrongly this could be misinterpreted as the south being ‘less developed’ than the north, or make travelling in these areas seem, at times, a little more challenging than travelling in the north. For me this rawness & less ‘touristy’ feel was very much a part of its appeal and beauty. The south offers a unique charm and is just not as ‘primed and polished’ as the north. Subtle differences between the two regions include attitude, approach to life, the food, cultural influences and traditions. The south of Italy and Sicily offer a distinctly unique blend of elements: where you stay, what you see, the wonderful people who welcome you with open arms and who all offer genuinely warm hospitality, and what you taste. Elements that harmoniously combine to create the most unique travel experience. I strongly urge anyone who has travelled to, and loved (like I do), the north of Italy to venture further south and to Sicily, to experience what is often referred to as ‘the real Italy’. I am certain you will not be disappointed... Albatross travellers at Matera Ciao, Megan Thackray – Operations Manager, Albatross Tours.

54 SMALL GROUPS • LONGER STAYS 1 ROME

Adriatic Sea

Discover more with Albatross… ITALY • Spend 3 nights in Puglia in the ‘Bee Hive’ Trulli cottages of Alberobello, visit the ‘white city’ of Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, Puglia 3 ALBEROBELLO baroque Lecce, sample local wines and indulge in a typical AVERAGE KMS PER DAY: 147 MATERA 2 Ostuni ‘Italian style’ lunch in Monopoli Tour commences Lecce • Enjoy a memorable 2 night stay in the beautifully restored ‘Sassi’ Overnight stays caves of ancient Matera and visit the age old carved rock Included excursions churches Gulf of Taranto • Relax over 4 nights in romantic Taormina and visit Syracuse, take a cable car and 4WD bus to stand at the top of , enjoy Mediterranean Sea lunch in ‘The Godfather Country’ Calabria • See the mosaics in Piazza Armerina, and explore hilltop Enna • Spend 2 nights in Agrigento, visit the Valley of the Temples, enjoy a tasting and light lunch at an olive oil farm

• Spend 3 nights in a converted Baglio farmhouse, explore Sciacca, Castellammare del Golfo Ionian Sea PALERMO the ancient city of Erice and Segesta’s romantic temples San Vito lo Capo Erice 1 • Enjoy a seafood feast at Vittorio’s restaurant, cruise through the MARSALA 3 Segesta 4 TAORMINA Zingaro marine reserve to San Vito Lo Capo, and enjoy a Baglio Mount Etna wine tasting Palo Enna Sciacca • Stay 1 night in Palermo in a sumptuous Villa and visit the famous 2 Piazza Armerina Duomo in Monreale AGRIGENTO SICILY Syracuse & Ortigia island

17 days - Over $1,700 value of extras already included With NO additional ‘on tour’ costs!

Discover the Albatross difference 2015 Dates and Prices

• Small group size – average 22, maximum 28 17 days only $7,468 pp twin share • Longer stays, with NO 1 night stops on tour Single supplement $1,792 (land only prices in New Zealand Dollars) • Genuinely inclusive, with NO additional on tour costs STARTS ENDS STARTS ENDS • Stay in authentic, character style hotels ROME PALERMO ROME PALERMO • Tours designed specially for you – Australians and New Zealanders 29 April 15 May 2 September 18 September Incredible Value Inclusions 13 May 29 May 23 September 9 October 3 June 19 June 7 October 23 October • All the sightseeing, scenic drives and excursions (as per the itinerary) • Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager • Travel in a first class air-conditioned touring coach Book before 15 January 2015 & SAVE $300 pp • End of tour tips to Tour Manager and Driver, tips for local guides Further discounts may apply – see page 17 for details • 16 nights authentic, specially selected hotel accommodation • Hotel porterage (1 bag per person) • Breakfast daily Pre and Post Accommodation • 10 dinners including welcome and farewell dinners, local restaurant dinners in Alberobello and Matera If you would like to arrive a few days ahead of your tour, or extend • 3 typically ‘Italian style’ lunches in Monopoli, ‘Godfather Country’ & afterwards we can often arrange accommodation at the same hotels used Vittorio’s at Porto Palo, light lunch at Mandranova Olive Oil farm on this tour. Please contact us for details. • Local guides – Alberobello, Lecce, Matera, Syracuse, Mt Etna, Piazza Armerina, Agrigento and Palermo Guaranteed Group Departures • Entrances: the rock churches of Madonna de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone, Syracuse’s ruins and ‘Ear of Dionysus’, Ortigia Duomo, Villa Book our tours with confidence! If you book and deposit on any of our Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, Agrigento’s Valley of the tours, as long as there are just 10 or more people travelling on your Temples, Segesta historical ruins, Monreale Duomo designated group departure, we guarantee it will travel. • Experience a cable car and 4WD bus to the top of Mount Etna, a Zingaro cruise to San Vito Lo Capo, shuttle bus to/from Segesta ruins This tour is not suitable for anyone with any mobility issues or walking • Welcome drink, wine tastings in Alberobello and in a Sicilian Baglio, difficulties olive oil tasting at the Mandranova farm • Free WIFI available on most coaches and at hotels 55 Matera, Puglia Polignano a Mare

DAY 1 ROME Your tour commences this evening with a welcome drink and dinner in your central Rome hotel. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers. (D) Your Rome Hotel – Hotel Massimo D’Azeglio Authentically Albatross DAY 2 ALBEROBELLO On Day 13 we visit the fishing Driving across the spine of Italy – the Apennine Mountains - we continue deep port of Sciacca, on Sicily's south into the Puglia to the remarkable city of Alberobello where we stay three coast. Earlier that day restaurant owner Vittorio (known locally as nights. This is one of the most unusual towns you will ever see. The whole city the 'wild boar') will have been down at the fish market selecting centre is a mass of whitewashed ‘bee hive’ type houses called ‘Trulli’ which date seafood and fish for his beachside restaurant down the road in Port back hundreds of years. Puglia is known as Italy’s bread basket and is also Palo. And that's where we go for a leisurely lunch. Featured in the justifiably famous for its olive oils, wine and local produce. Dinner tonight is acclaimed BBC2 series ‘Sicily Unpacked’, Michelin master chef included in a local restaurant. (B, D) Giorgio Locatelli enthuses over Vittorio's simple cooking style - Your Alberobello accommodation – ‘Trulli cottages’ scattered around town. nothing fancy, but so memorable! Shunning conventional hotel accommodation we have leapt at the chance of offering an amazing touring experience. We have selected to stay in a number of beautifully renovated Trulli set amongst the winding backstreets of this has the same furnishings or décor. Porterage is naturally all taken care of and UNESCO heritage listed old town. Bursting with character each one offers all breakfasts are all taken together in a centrally located restaurant. Please note: the amenities you would expect of a high quality, self-contained studio or town Single travellers who are paying a single supplement, can elect to share a Trulli house. Each Trulli is unique and varies in size, shape and layout. No two Trulli with another single traveller for this three night stay. DAY 3 ALBEROBELLO This morning we are joined by a local guide who will take us on a walking tour of this remarkable ‘bee hive’ town. In the afternoon we will enjoy a relaxing tasting of local wines. The rest of your afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B) DAY 4 ALBEROBELLO Driving down into the Salentine Peninsula - the ‘heel of Italy’ - we spend the morning exploring the city of Lecce on a walking tour with our local guide. Dating back to the early Greek empire, the city boasts numerous baroque monuments and also has a Roman amphitheatre on the central square. Later we visit ‘La Città Bianca’ (the ‘white city’) of Ostuni. Perched on a hill, with views down over the coast, we enjoy time at leisure amongst the winding streets and white washed alleys. (B) DAY 5 MATERA Passing hamlets and typical Pugliese ‘masserie’, fortified large estate-farms we reach the coastal town of Polignano a Mare. Built directly on the cliffs over the sea, Polignano is famous for its gelato and ice cream parlours and makes a perfect morning stop. Later we continue to the nearby port of Monopoli where we indulge in a fabulous, typical ‘Italian style’ lunch at the Mount Etna from Taormina family run Osteria Perricci. Crossing to the ‘ankle’ of Italy we reach the

56 GENUINELY INCLUSIVE • UNIQUE EXPERIENCES Italy intensifies as you plunge deeper

Travel guru Rick Steves once wrote, “If Puglia and Matera are just as evocative. The fresh produce is amazing and you like Italy as far south as Rome, go endless hills of olive groves testify to Puglia’s reputation as the food basket further south. It just gets better. If Italy of Italy. When designing the tour I leapt at the opportunity for us to stay in is getting a little overwhelming by the time you get down to Rome, think the beautifully converted, white washed, beehive style ‘Trulli’ town houses. twice about going further. Italy intensifies as you plunge deeper.” Rick is so And then there is Matera. Italy’s oldest inhabited town where the rock faces right! Sicily, of course, stands out, having absorbed a myriad of influences are riddled with ancient caves or ‘sassi’. Mel Gibson even filmed ‘the Passion from a long history of invaders, empire builders and exotic sea traders. Turn of Christ’ here as many reckon Matera actually looks authentically like one corner and find a massive Greek Temple or Roman Amphitheatre. Jerusalem would have done 2,000 years ago! Ancient? It has been said, Around the next you will find a delightful baroque square or verdant “Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in vineyards springing from the volcanic ash of mighty Mount Etna. the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago”. What an experience!

extraordinary city of Matera. On arrival we visit the Murgia Timone, a huge Sicily. Following the coast we arrive at the stunning town of Taormina where rock plateau riddled with ancient man made stone caves or ‘Sassi’, to take we stay the next four wonderful nights. (B, D) in the views directly over the ‘la ’ ravine to the old town. Reputed to Your Taormina Hotel – The Hotel Excelsior Palace be the oldest inhabited settlement in Italy, your view encompasses rock DAY 8 TAORMINA churches and numerous Sassi (including the cave complex hotel we will be A totally free day to relax and explore the boutiques, handicraft shops and staying in) with the more ‘modern’ baroque town on top of the hill. Your restaurants on your doorstep which make Taormina so famous. Make sure you next two nights will be memorable! (B, L) visit the Greek Amphitheatre with its striking views and also wander through Your Matera ‘Albergo Diffuso’ - Le Grotte della Civita. Translated,‘Albergo Diffuso’ Villa Comunale, one of the most beautiful little gardens in all of Sicily. (B) means a ‘Hotel Diffused’. Meaning diffused with history. Your rooms are a series of ‘Sassi’ or caves, dating back into pre-history, beautifully renovated and with DAY 9 TAORMINA exceptional appeal. Each are large in size and reminiscent of the ‘Flintstones’, Driving past we reach the city of Syracuse, where we are joined by but with luxury and all modern conveniences. Your breakfast is served in a a local guide. First stop will be at the temples and massive amphitheatre in converted rock church featuring classical music. It is impossible to paint the full the 2,500 year old Greek and Roman ruins. We will also visit the overgrown picture of this truly unique experience. To truly understand and enjoy visit quarries and test the amazing acoustics in the famous ‘Ear of Dionysus’ www.sextantio.it/grotte-civita cavern. Later we cross onto Ortigia Island, the heart of ancient Syracuse, to wander through the delightful backstreets to the breathtaking architecture DAY 6 MATERA of the main square, Piazza del Duomo. Enjoy time to find a quiet café or This morning we are joined by a local guide who will show us around this trattoria for a leisurely lunch. (B) extraordinary town from the ancient rock hewn churches to the baroque city above. We have included entrance to view the rock wall frescoes in the DAY 10 TAORMINA church of Madonna de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone. Your What an adventure today! First we drive up the slopes of Mount Etna to afternoon is free to relax and explore. This evening we enjoy dinner tonight Sapienza Refuge, lying at the south of the crater at an elevation of 1910 in a local trattoria. (B, D) metres. Here we board a cable car up to a restaurant and museum at 2500 DAY 7 TAORMINA metres where we meet our local guide who will drive us in a large 4WD bus Driving across Calabria and down the toe of Italy we reach the up to the (usually snow covered) viewing crater area at 2920 metres. You Mediterranean, where we catch the ferry across the Straits of Messina to will now be standing on the highest active volcano in Europe with views across to the steaming caldera on one side and the Sicilian coastline far below. All around you will see craters, caldera and petrified lava flow. Following this magnificent experience we descend to the village of Forza d’Agro, just north of Taormina. This area was the setting for some scenes from the film ‘The Godfather’, and is the perfect location for another Authentically Albatross leisurely, typically ‘Italian style’ lunch. The rest of the day and evening is free back in beautiful Taormina. (B, L) Mt Etna - some stop far below DAY 11 AGRIGENTO thinking they are ‘there’. Some Cutting through the heart of Sicily we reach Piazza Armerina where a local take the chairlift up to the guide will take us through the opulent . UNESCO snow fields and stop. We go heritage listed and one of the great sites of Sicily, this massive 1700 year even higher including the guided 4WD bus tour up to where the old Villa was covered by a mud slide in the 12th century which beautifully ‘internally warmed’ earth melts most of the snow, vast horizons preserved its breathtaking mosaics. Later we visit the historical hilltop city unfold and where, at 2900 metres, you will stand facing the of Enna, before arriving in Agrigento on the south coast, where we stay steaming caldera. What an experience! What photo opportunities! two nights. (B, D) What memories! (and yes, it is easy and safe!) See Day 10. Your Agrigento Hotel – The Colleverde Park Hotel.

57 DAY 12 AGRIGENTO This morning we are joined by a local guide who will take us through the famous UNESCO heritage listed Valley of the Temples. Originally the ancient city of Akragas, and built out of sandstone tufa, the golden amber hue of the giant complex of ruins and temples blend perfectly with the natural surroundings. This afternoon we will drive east to the farm of Mandranova, to learn how they make their olive oil and enjoy an olive oil tasting and light lunch. (B, L, D) DAY 13 NEAR MARSALA First stop this morning will be in the fishing port of Sciacca. Encircled by 16th century walls, the fascinating old town is where Arab, Norman and Greek cultures co-existed. We then follow the coast to the beach at Porto Palo where we enjoy a delicious seafood lunch at Vittorio’s restaurant (specially mentioned in the acclaimed BBC2 series ‘Sicily Unpacked’). Later we continue to our hotel inland from Marsala where we stay the next three nights. (B, L, D) Your ‘Baglio’ hotel – the Baglio Oneto DAY 14 NEAR MARSALA This morning we visit the city of Erice. Standing on top of Mount Erice, 750 metres above sea level and overlooking the port of Trapani, the views out to San Vito Lo Capo and the Aegadian Islands are fantastic. Here you will still find the remains of the ancient Phoenician fortifications and in the old city there are still two castles. Pepoli Castle which dates from Saracen times and the Venus Castle built by the Normans. Time to relax and wander through the quaint old alleys and cobble paved streets of the old town, and find a trattoria in a peaceful courtyard to enjoy lunch. In the afternoon en route back to our Baglio we will also make a stop at the Temple ruins at Segesta. This evening before dinner we will enjoy a wine tasting in the lovely old Baglio cantina. (B, D) DAY 15 NEAR MARSALA After enjoying free time for your morning coffee at the authentic fishing port of Castellammare del Golfo, we board a boat to enjoy a scenic cruise through the Zingaro marine nature reserve, past Scopello and the faraglioni' rocks to San Vito Lo Capo. (B, D) DAY 16 PALERMO Arriving in Palermo this morning we are joined by a local guide for a panoramic tour to explore the palaces and squares of this most Sicilian of cities! You will also have time to shop, or sit and enjoy a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the wonderful Duomo in nearby Monreale. This extraordinary architectural achievement is a blend of Arabic, Byzantine and Roman styles, with its magnificent mosaics and cloister. Later we arrive at our superb hotel. Tonight we will enjoy our ‘Farewell to Sicily’ dinner. (B, D) Your Palermo hotel - The Grand Hotel Villa Igiea DAY 17 PALERMO Sadly your tour ends this morning after breakfast. (B)

“An excellent tour, we followed on from The Italian Grande and were amazed with the difference between northern and . We feel that you cannot begin to appreciate the true Italy until you have experienced both regions.” Phil o m o u D

a i g i t r O

58 Le Grotte Della Civita, Matera

YOUR HOTEL EXPERIENCE

TRULLI COTTAGES, ALBEROBELLO – 3 NIGHTS Picturesque Trulli dot the Alberobello landscape and provide an amazing unique stay for guests. We have selected to stay in a number of beautifully renovated Trulli set amongst the winding backstreets of this UNESCO heritage listed town. Bursting with character each Trulli is unique and varies in size, shape, layout and decor. No two are the same. Visit www.trullinicla.it/en

LE GROTTE DELLA CIVITA, MATERA – 2 NIGHTS A hotel experience you will never forget. With rooms set out in a series of ‘Sassi’ or caves, dating back into pre-history, each are beautifully renovated and offer exceptional appeal. Each Sassi is large in size and feature all modern conveniences amongst luxury. Breakfast is served in a converted rock church featuring classical music. Go to www.sextantio.it/grotte-civita

HOTEL EXCELSIOR PALACE, TAORMINA – 4 NIGHTS Perched on a headland and built with a Moorish style, the sweeping views along the Taormina coast from this first class hotel and gardens are spectacular. To one side is the coastline of the Ionian Sea, and on the other you are greeted with panoramic views of Mount Etna and the hillside village of Castelmola. See www.excelsiorpalacetaormina.it

COLLEVERDE PARK HOTEL, AGRIGENTO – 2 NIGHTS Offering spectacular views (as pictured) directly over the Valley of the Temples and the Mediterranean Sea, the Colleverde Park Hotel is located near the city centre of Agrigento. This elegant hotel is set amongst beautiful gardens and offers classic style hotel rooms. Visit www.colleverdehotel.it/en

BAGLIO ONETO, NEAR MARSALA – 3 NIGHTS Set on a hill amongst vineyards, with views across to the Egadi Islands, this was originally a feudal dwelling and later a notable farmhouse estate built in the late 18th century. The hotel section has been designed to maintain the architectural integrity of the ancient Baglio. The ‘La Calandra Restaurant’ serves excellent local food accompanied by local wines. Go to www.bagliooneto.it/en

GRAND HOTEL VILLA IGIEA, PALERMO – 1 NIGHT Offering panoramic views across the Bay of Palermo, the 5 star Grand Hotel Villa Igiea allows you to immerse yourself in Palermo’s rich cultural heritage and absorb in the beauty of Sicily’s coastline. With rooms that feature all the modern conveniences and an authentic dining room and seaside terrace this is the perfect way to end your tour! See www.villa-igiea.com

For more information about our specially selected hotels please visit www.albatrosstours.com

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